La Liga's top three all won at the weekend, but Valencia's top-four hopes were damaged after losing at Malaga on Monday evening.

Week 21's action opened on Friday in Madrid, where Deportivo La Coruna eased their relegation fears with a 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano.

Real Madrid, who were without the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo, beat David Moyes's Real Sociedad 4-1 in the early start on Saturday, before reigning champions Atletico Madrid won 3-1 at Eibar.

Saturday also saw victories for Granada and Celta Vigo, with the former beating Elche 1-0 and the latter overcoming Cordoba by the same scoreline.

On Sunday, Athletic Bilbao ended their poor run of form with a 2-0 win at struggling Levante, before Almeria beat Getafe by the odd goal.

Sunday's final two fixtures brought incredible drama, with Sevilla beating Espanyol 3-2 at the Estadio Ramon, before Barcelona overcame Villarreal by the same scoreline in what was undoubtedly the game of the weekend.

Valencia, as mentioned, remain fifth behind Sevilla following a 1-0 defeat at Malaga in the final match of the latest set of fixtures.

Here, Sports Mole picks out its XI star performers following another weekend of pulsating La Liga action.

Julian (Almeria)
Almeria entered Sunday's clash with Getafe having not won a single home league game this season. That changed courtesy of Edgar Mendez's strike before the interval, but Julian made a string of excellent saves, especially in the second half to help his side claim a vital three points.

Arthur Boka (Malaga)
The Ivorian made his Malaga debut in Monday's clash against Valencia and the defender was a key contributor to his side's win. Boka was strong in the challenge and comfortable in possession during his first taste of La Liga football. An excellent start to his Malaga career.
Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao)
The 20-year-old has been strongly linked with a move away from Bilbao in recent weeks, but his concentration was certainly not affected this weekend. The Frenchman put in a classy performance at the heart of the back four in his side's 2-0 win at Levante.
Jaume Costa (Villarreal)
The defender was part of the Villarreal team that lost 3-2 at Barcelona on Sunday, but he deserves his spot in this XI. The full-back had an excellent match down the left – causing a certain Dani Alves a string of problems with his pace and forward running.

Celso Borges (Deportivo La Coruna)
On his Depor debut, the 26-year-old proved the match-winner in Friday's clash against Rayo Vallecano. Borges netted twice in the Spanish capital, with his second-half penalty securing all of the points for his new team.
Edgar Mendez (Almeria)
The 23-year-old's effort late in the first period ensured that Almeria beat Getafe on Sunday afternoon. It was a fine finish from the midfielder, who also came close on a couple of occasions during an impressive second half.
Rafinha (Barcelona)
Given a rare start against Villarreal and the midfielder did not disappoint in Barca's 3-2 win. Played a big role in his side's opening goal, before scoring their second. Also helped his defence in the latter stages.
Samuel Castillejo (Malaga)
The Spaniard scored the only goal of the match as Malaga beat top-four hopefuls Valencia at La Rosaleda on Monday evening. The visitors found it difficult to deal with the attacker, who popped up in all areas of the field throughout the entertaining contest.

Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
One of three strikers in this particular team to hit a brace at the weekend. Scored Real Madrid's third and fourth goals in their 4-1 win over Sociedad. The Frenchman's second was an absolute stunner into the top corner. It was the perfect response to his gathering critics.
Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Bilbao)
The 33-year-old scored twice as Bilbao recorded a much-needed win at Levante on Sunday afternoon. Both goals were excellent finishes, with the Spaniard coming to the forefront when his team needed him most.
Mario Mandzukic (Atletico Madrid)
On a bumpy old pitch, Mandzukic hit a brace in Atletico's 3-1 win at Eibar. The Croatian also completed the full 90 minutes, which has not been the case too many times this season. It was a strong centre-forward's display from a player that is in excellent form